Starter for internal combustion engines



June 22, 1965 1-. M. mess STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 15, 1963 I I} H June 22, 1965 3,190,276

T. M. DIGGS STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 15, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' June 22, 1965 T. M. mess 3,190,276

smwm FOR INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN mun-as Filed Aug. 15, 196 s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. kx 31 0/1446 4% 0/666 Mrngnr United States Patent 3,190,276 STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Thomas M. Diggs, 1349 Otis St. NE, Washington, D.C. Filed Aug. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 302,308 Claims. (Cl. 123-179) The present invention relates generally to engine startas and in particular to a starter for small internal combustion engines such as those that are employed on model airplanes, boat, or other vehicles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable starter for an internal combustion engine, the starter having replaceable connector means for connecting with the propeller of an airplane, the wheel of a vehicle, or propeller of a boat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable starter for an internal combustion engine which has a self contained battery compartment and control for the voltage needed for igniting the fuel in such an engine, the starter being portable when in a collapsed or nested condition and being readily shifted from the nested position to a use position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a starter for an internal combustion engine which has means for either applying rotative movement of great torque and of a certain speed or of a lesser torque and a greater speed selectively.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the starter of the present invention shown in a condition of use connected to the propeller of a toy aircraft,

FIGURE 2 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a view partially in section of the starter mechanism, the dotted line Showing indicating a toy airplane propeller,

FIGURE 4 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1, the airplane being removed,

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of FIG- URE 3,

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG- URE 3,

FIGURE 7 is a view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG- URE 3,

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a connector used with the starter mechanism,

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of another connector,

FIGURE 10 is a view taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 9,

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of still another connector,

FIGURE 12 is a view taken on the line 1212 of FIGURE 11,

FIGURE 13 is a view in perspective of still another connector,

FIGURE 14 is a side elevational view of another connector,

FIGURE 15 is an end view of still another connector,

FIGURE 16 is a view taken on the line 1616 of FIGURE 15,

FIGURE 17 is a side elevational view of the nose portion of a propeller, the dotted line showing the adjacent portion of the connector shown in FIGURES 15 and 16,

FIGURE 18 is a view in section of a modified form of a starter drive for a rotatable shaft, and

FIGURE 19 is a perspective view of a nose element for installation on a shaft to be driven, using the connector of FIGURE 8.

Patented June 22, 1965 Referring in detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, in FIGURES 1, 2, and 4, the numeral 20 designates generally a compound base having a first elongated horizontally disposed base member 22 and a second elongated horizontally disposed base member 24 arranged at right angles with respect to the base member 22. The base member 22 has a portion 26 adjacent one end rounded and arranged in overlying and contacting relation with respect to a similarly rounded portion 28 of the base member 24.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the bottom of the base member portion 28 is provided with a recess 30 and a wood screw 32 extends through the portions 26 and 28 and into the bottom of a body 34 which is secured to the base member portion 26.

The screw 32 connects the base member 22 to the base member 24 for swinging movement from the right angle position shown in FIGURE 1 to a nested parallel position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the body 34 extends upwardly in a rounded substantially triangular shape and is bifurcated to receive therethrough the shaft support 36 of a hand actuable shaft spinning mechanism designated generally by the reference numeral 38.

A rotatable shaft 40 extends through the shaft support 36 and carries on one end the hand actuable drive means designated generally by the numeral 42, the other end carrying a clutch 44 and a connector 46.

As shown in FIGURE 8, the connector 46 has pins 48 projecting from one end thereof, the pins 48 being employed to engage about the hub of an airplane propeller as at 50 in dotted lines in FIGURE 3.

The clutch 44 includes a first body member 52 secured to the shaft 40 and having a pawl member 54 secured to the body member 52 as shown most clearly in FIG- URE 5.

The clutch 44 also includes a second body member 56 having dogs 58 engageable with the pawl member 54. Springs 60 bias the dogs 58 toward engagement with the pawl member 54.

The body member 56 includes a hub portion 62 to which the connector 46 is attachable.

In FIGURES 9 and 10 asecond form of a connector is shown at 64 with pins 66 each bent outwardly so as to embrace a larger object to be spun such as a ship propeller or the like. A bushing 70 at the end of the bore of the connector 64 provides a resilient means for engaging the hub of such a propeller or the like without damaging the same.

The drive means 42 includes a two step pulley 72 shown with a winding cord 74 wrapped around the lower step. A set screw 76 secures the pulley 72 to the shaft 40. Another set screw 78 secures a housing 80 to the shaft support 36. One end of a helical spring 82 is secured by a pin 84 to the housing 80 and by a second pin 86 to the hub portion 88 of the pulley 72 as shown most clearly in FIGURE 3.

In FIGURES 11 and 12 there is shown another type of connector 90 in which slots 92 are provided for pins 94 projecting from a joint member 96. The joint member 96 has pins 98 which are engageable in slots 100 provided in an adapter type of connector 102, illustrated in FIGURE 13, which may be secured to the propeller shaft or hub of a member to be rotated.

In FIGURE 14 a modified form of the connector is shown at 104 in which there is a hexagonal pin 106 projecting from one end thereof.

In FIGURES 15 and 16 the pin 106' is shown to be mounted upon a joint member 108 rockably mounted in one end of still another form of a connector 110.

As shown in FIGURE i17 either the pin .106 or the pin 106" may be received in a socket suitably shaped in one end of a connector element 112 which may be securedto the propeller shaft or other device to be rotated.

With reference to FIGURE 18 a modified form of the invention is shown in which the clutch and drive means are incorporated in a single body 120. In the body 120 FIGURE 19 shows another connector nose 168 that may be incorporated in a motor shaft or a propeller, to

is a pulley 122 having the winding cord 124 wrapped therearound. Secured to thepulley 122 is a pawl element 126 engaged by dogs 128 carried'by the body 120. Pinned to the out portion130 of the pulley 120 is one end of a spring 132, the pin being designated by the numeral 134.

The. other end of the spring 132is' secured by a pin 136- to the housing 138 which is secured by a set screw 140 engine and isdisconnectible from the engine after the engine starts.

In operation, the winding cord is returned by its associated helical spring after each pull. and rotation of the associated" pulley. Once the engine starts: the: clutch arrangement either at 44 or 14 6 disengages the starter mechanism from the driven shaft ofthe engine 150 of the toy aircraft 152 as shown in FIGURE 1. The present in-.

vention provid'es a standard 154 rising from the base member 22. and adjustable thereon by means of a plate 156 secured in any position of adjusted movement on the base be employed with the connector 46 shown in FIGURE 8, the holes 170 receiving the pins 48.

While only preferred forms or embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, other forms or embodiments of the present invention are con- 7 templated and numerous changes and modifications. may

be made therein Without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the appended claims What-is claimed is: a

1. A starter mechanism for rotatingan output component of a combustion engine for starting'the same comprising-a base, a-power shaft rotatably supported. on said baseymeans on said shaft adaptedto engage an output component, a manually operable reeloperatively connected to said shaft, a flexible member operatively connected with the reel for rotating the reel-and shaft, spring means connected-to said reel for rewinding the flexible member thereon, a clutch mechanism in said shaft to enable rotation of the means adapted. to engage an output component independent of said shaft, said base including adjust able' means adapted for supporting .an engine with theoutput component in alignment with the shaft. 4

member, 22 by means of a set screw 158. Theupper end' of. the standard 154 is provided'with a padded V- block 160 shown turned at right angles in FIGURE 4.

It will be seenfrom the. foregoing that the deviceof the present invention may be 'usedin the field to start toy aircraft, toy boats, or toy automobile having internalcombustion engines. The device'is extremely portable and of lightweight and the device includes a support for a plurality of batteries and a 130K162, tlieboxi 162 being connected electrically with the rheostat 164' 'connected by a wire 166 to the glow. plugnof the engine'1'50.

Obviously more than one standard 154'may be provided and numerous changes may be made in the shape of the standard to support the appropriate. vehicle. The adjustability of the-standards 154' longitudinally on the base member 22 provide means for supporting larger or smaller'vehicles as desired.

The provision of the several types of connectors make 7 2. Thestructure as defined in claim 1, wherein said base also includes a source of electrical energy, conductor means connected with the source and adapted to be connected'to said' engine, and control means for controllingatheflow of electrical energy through the con- 1 ductor means.

. 3. The structure' as-defined'in claim 1, wherein. said shaft is journaled in a holder, and means adjustably supporting the holder from said base. I I

4. They structure as defined'in claim 1, wherein said means 011111116 shaft adapted to engage an output component is removably attached to said shaft thereby enabling interchange 'of J means having different configurations.

52 The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said base includes an elongated flat member for stabilizing the base whena foot is placed thereon.

References Citedby the Examiner UN ITED'STATES PATENTS RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD c. PINKHAM,VE xaminer. 

1. A STATER MECHANISM FOR ROTATING AN OUTPUT COMPONENT OF A COMUSTION ENGINE FOR STARTING THE SAME COMPRISING A BASE, A POWER SHAFT ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE, MEANS ON SAID SHAFT ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AN OUTPUT COMPONENT, A MANUALLY OPERABLE REEL OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SHAFT, A FLEXIBLE MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE REEL FOR ROTATING THE REEL AND SHAFT, SPRING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID REEL FOR REWININDG THE FLEXIBLE MEMBER THEREON, A CLUTCH MECHANISM IN SAID SHAFT TO ENABLE ROTATION OF THE MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AN OUTPUT COMPONENT INDEPENDENT OF SAID SHAFT, SAID BASE INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE MEANS ADAPTED FOR SUPPORTING AN ENGINE WITH THE OUTPUT COMPONENT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SHAFT. 